Please help with shower invitation wording

DH and I are having a coed shower. It's going to be held at his dad and stepmom's house, but we're planning on paying for the food and doing most of the planning. I know it may be kind of unusual to do it that way, but DH's mom lives out of state and my mom passed away, so we don't want his dad and stepmom to feel any burden organizing or paying for the shower. We're just happy we can hold it at their house.

Anyway, how should we word the invitation? Should we write that it will be hosted by his dad and stepmom since it will be at their house even though they're not paying for it? I don't mind doing that but I don't know if that will hurt DH's mom's feelings. She hasn't offered to help with the cost or the planning so I feel like her name shouldn't go on the invitation.

Also, should we have all the rsvps go to DH's stepmom or to us? I don't know if she wants the responsibility of keeping track of responses from DH's mom's side (that might be awkward), and all of our friends would probably just rather respond to either DH or I. But I feel like it looks tacky if we put on the invite that the rsvps should come to us. I was thinking that if it the invitation is worded as though it's from us, then it looks like we're just looking for gifts. But we are the ones throwing the party, so should the invitations come from us?

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Re: Please help with shower invitation wording

Ok, I do not think you should put "hosted by" as DH's dad & stepmom.....b/c if you two are paying for the food and planning everything other than the location, I feel like it will imply that THEY paid for everything (at least that's what I would assume if I got the invite). So, I might opt to exclude "hosted by" altogether, since the location of the party alone will already indicate the extent of their involvement. As far as rsvp, I'd probably put DH's cell phone # and create an email address for rsvp's.....this is what my cousin suggested to me since she just had to do this for her daughter's sweet 16 (i.e. "[email protected]). Unless your DH's stepmom offers to take the rsvp phonecalls I think it's totally fine to list DH's cell # (as long as he's ok with it! lol). Personally I feel like a lot of people like sending an email instead of a phone call to rsvp anyway (except for older relatives of course).

Message edited 5/14/2012 3:33:55 PM.

Re: Please help with shower invitation wording

Re: Please help with shower invitation wording

DH and I are planning our own shower. Also coed and at another family members house. We just skipped the whole hosted by .... We didn't want to put ourselves because it's not the norm and didn't feel like answering questions. We just put our home phone and an email for RSVP (although out of 70 invites not one has yet to respond yet ) you would be shocked though how many people are asking who is hosting?! I've been just saying its a family collaboration lol

Re: Please help with shower invitation wording

Posted by Takintheleap116

DH and I are planning our own shower. Also coed and at another family members house. We just skipped the whole hosted by .... We didn't want to put ourselves because it's not the norm and didn't feel like answering questions. We just put our home phone and an email for RSVP (although out of 70 invites not one has yet to respond yet ) you would be shocked though how many people are asking who is hosting?! I've been just saying its a family collaboration lol

Re: Please help with shower invitation wording

I agree with all the above posts, I just might include DH's dad and stepmom's names in the location, like "At: John and Susan Smith's Residence" and write the address below that. That way everyone knows who's house they are going to and it shows you appreciate their generosity of opening their doors to you and all your guests.